A systems journey – with the Systems Boys

Abstract

This paper is a personal perspective on the development of systems in civil engineering and in particular the roles of Munro, Brown, Blockley, Elms and Jowitt. The paper traces the development of civil engineering systems thinking from the 1960s to the beginning of the twenty-first century – from hard systems, operational research methodologies to soft systems and reflective practice. It parallels the special contribution of Blockley in this process.

Keywords:

• civil engineering systems
• systems thinking
• the Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems journal